Protect Your Home in a Storm

Hurricane Irma is almost upon us. While we might not get much in the Orlando area it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you’re still considering staying around and not evacuating, there are some things that you can do to protect your home as much is possible.

#1. Secure and seal your roof. Your roof is one of the largest potential openings on the house and if you take a little bit of time and make sure that the roof is sealed and there are no broken or missing tiles, you could save yourself a lot of heartache in the future.

#2. Invest in roof straps. Your home probably already has roof straps since Florida requires builders to attach these but you want to double check. This attaches the roofs home to the walls with metal straps.

#3. Secure all furniture or move it inside. Anything that’s lying around will get blown around if it is not securely anchored to the ground or you’ve moved it inside. Reinforce your garage door, seal and board of any windows, and make sure all lawn furniture or play equipment is safely stored inside.

#4. Evacuate when you’re told to do so. This is one of the biggest things that could save people’s life. You want to evacuate when you’re told to do so to higher ground or in a location that the hurricane will not be covering. Make sure you have first aid supplies, and emergency pack ready to go, battery-powered radio, extra phone chargers, flashlights with batteries, cash, food and supplies for your pets. You may also need about a gallon of water per person per day. Stock your trunk and be ready to go at a moments notice.

#5. Contact your insurance company. Make sure you are covered for any natural disasters. Ask about flooding, which can be an effect from hurricanes even though flood insurance may not be covered under hurricane insurance. Ask your insurance company what you need to do to be prepared.